How to boot your Android device into safe mode

Android is a great mobile operating system, and it’s getting better with every new version. Android 6.0 has been the best yet as far as performance enhancements go, and as a result, devices running Marshmallow have been insanely slick. Android isn’t able to stop third-party applications from bringing your handset to a crawl, though. However, Android does have a handy tool called Safe Mode to deal with those issues.

This tool will let users boot their device into Safe Mode, where only the applications that came with the smartphone are running. In other words, any application you downloaded after getting your device aren’t able to run. This helps you get a good indication if you’re smartphone is chugging because of something you downloaded or of it might be time to turn in the smartphone for a new device.

With that in mind, we’re going to show you how to boot the most popular Android devices into Safe Mode to deal with those nasty software problems.

Booting into Safe Mode

A surefire way to boot into safe mode on most devices is to hold the power button down for a few seconds, just as you normally would to shut off the phone or restart it.

Next, hold the Power Off button down until your device prompts you to reboot into safe mode. Press OK, and your smartphone or tablet will restart in safe mode.

Once you’re in safe mode, a watermark will appear at the bottom left of the device that says “Safe Mode.” In this mode, you won’t be able to access any extra applications you downloaded. The only apps that are running are the ones that came with the device. Just as I mentioned earlier, this will help you get a good indication if it’s some third-party app that’s making your device take a performance hit.

Unfortunately, it won’t show you which app that’s making your device chug, but it’ll give you a good footing to start searching for the problem.

While in safe mode, it’s worth using staying it for a day and seeing if any of your problems persist. If any lagging, freezing, performance issues, or battery issues are resolved, it could very well be a rogue application chugging down your device. That said, it might be time to start deleting applications that you think might be causing the problem. You can easily do this in your device’s application manager while all of the third-party apps are disabled.

If problems persist, it’s worth skipping all of this troubleshooting and going straight for a factory data reset. This will completely reset your device to factory settings, eliminating all applications and any malware, viruses or Trojans you might have on your gadget.

To get out of safe mode, just power off the device as your normally would. Hold the power button for a few seconds. Next, when the menu appears, just tap Power Off. Finally, hold the power button down again to turn on your device.

Closing

If problems persist even after doing a factory data reset, it might be time to get a new smartphone. Android isn’t meant to be bogged down, and for the most part, it’s a very smooth and fast mobile operating system. With that in mind, there are tons of great devices out there. And while many might seem expensive, many manufacturers are making leaps to construct cheap, yet powerful off-contract devices. Whether you need a new smartphone or tablet, Android has a variety of powerful options that won’t break the bank.

If this guide helped you at all or you need some additional troubleshooting help, be sure to leave a comment below. We’d love to help you get your Android device in working order!

Brad is a tech enthusiast, writing and tinkering with all things technology since 2011. He currently bounces between the LG G3 and his beloved Moto X! His interests include reading, entrepreneurship, the gym, and of course, queso.

araneta

Didn’t work on Gingerbread

Sterling Stewart

that’s a damn

mshaker

works on 2.3.5 (power up then vol up/down)

sky

i used samsung galaxy grand , but recently i have a problem,the problem is my atomatic lite on and off.any one plz help me

tc

doesn’t work for pipo m3 locked on startup screen. no options come up

help!!

umasankar

sir, I had a wm8850-mid tablet ,after 3 month ..android OS had been corrupt..how can i download OS from internet for my tablet..plz help me….

Kris Patel

google this

how to factory reset (tablet model goes here)

or if that doesnt work, and if your android is badly corrupt then it may not

how to root, and flash rom on (tablet name

note when he asks you to flash the rom zip you will want to search for

stock flashable (tablet model here

Shankster

On Galaxy Tab 3 go to settings – security – verify apps, then uncheck box
restart your tablet to get back to normal mode and see downloaded apps.

Fancy Mwangi

Got it thank you

Mazharul Islam

My phone become locked and now showing too many pattern attempts. And also showing to unlock sign in with your google account but I cant remember which address i used to open play store or others. Now How can I solve the problem. Please if any one can then assist me… My cell phone model is Galaxy Y (young).

Zedy

This was very helpful!!! I have a Nexus 7 Tablet which had a damaged screen with Toddler Lock installed. Toddler Lock required all four corners to be touched clockwise to unlock. Since the screen was damaged, I could not exit out. Tried powering down and rebooting to no avail. Safe mode and Uninstalling Toddler Lock did the trick. Thanks!

noah

thank you saved me alot of work

sunnygreen2013

On your Windows PC, you can boot into safe mode to load Windows without any third-party software. You can do the same on Android with Android’s safe mode. In safe mode, Android won’t load any third-party applications.
This allows you to troubleshoot your device – if you’re experiencing crashes, freezes, or battery life issues, you can boot into safe mode and see if the issues still happen there. From safe mode, you can uninstall misbehaving third-party apps.

Levis

hello….i tried to install a rom……and succeded in it …… but when i turn on my phone it is showing the service name and then restarts…….this is being done randomly……….can anyone tell me what to do

kapil

please tell me how to exit from safe mode in samsung grand phone i did all options but i am not exiting from safe mode so please resolve my problem as early as possible
-i did restart phone,reset then also i am not exiting from safe mode.

saikiran

same problem with me also kapil

hash

Lol restart the phone

byron

can this work on a bricked phone

Sonu Khan

IT DOES’NT WORKED

chin panelo

This is really helpful. Thank you so much for sharing. :-) chin from Philippines :-)

jithesh

i cant get bootting .it stuck with recover icon

nye

all i get is emergecy dload mode

Sushant Khaire

Hey,u know how to root iBall Slide i9702.Please reply.

C S Lokesh Singhal

how to get original boot in viewphone3

C S Lokesh Singhal

my phone viewphone3 always shows ow memory what to do??

Pai Magen

yehey! I’ve tried several ways to solve my tab’s problem but yours is the only way that solved it. thanks~ :)) but how can I remove the safe mode? :)) or hide it? O.o

denled

my pipo pro9 tablet keeps coming up connection timed out and video player widget has stopped I have a brand new talk talk router and no problem with laptop anybody help

Ana

how to get out of safe mode on sony xperia m? restart doesn’t help

V

very useful information

grinning_square

Lol my tab just put itself on safe mode itself but when I restarted it, it worked normal again, this information is quite useful thanks

j355ica760

My tab dosent load past the second.screen when turning it on i have factory reset it and its still doing it…what can i do?

wanted

If i do in factory reset in note 3 then my older version of android will come back or not and i do rest in safe mode so does it effect on normal boot does my data will get effect please any one reply me

raj

it was nic…
bt nw i want to know how to co
me out of safe mode ?

danger

can these methods works with android 2.3

yes

Yes
Just use the option under older versions of Android

Murray Greenfield

Thankyou, I have spent days no weeks searching the net and forums for an answer to my problem, ‘Tablet Screen Freezes as soon as it has finished booting” so Ï was not able to remove any programs that may have been the cause of my problem, So many forums are full of incorrect answers or they don’t read the question properly before giving an answer, and not one of of them mentioned about booting into safe mode, or how to do it, not one.

Numi

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I did the “volume up and volume down push” and my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Android 4.3 started in Safe mode. I was able to go into “Settings – Application manager and uninstall the offending app. Thanks again!

lph

press down the power off button…

lph

sorry , press & hold down the power off button…

freddy.

you can use third party apps in safe mode by creating shortcut icon on the desktop before rebooting into safe mode.

freddy.

.

crlshvi

it works on Android 4.4.4. Thanks so much! just remember to uninstall the app that it was locking your phone. by example the FBI lock screen on your phone.

coco

I have a galaxy Ventura, it worked the first time I held the volume button down. But my phone died while I was trying to delete app. Now it will not reboot back to safe mode. I’ve tried all of the above. What do I do?

coco

Centura*

rob

How do I put a tablet in safe mode

Chris

Cannot get my Samsung Galaxy player 5.0 into safe mode can anyone help?

bobandmarcy

I too got the mandiant virus on my tablet (Samsung galaxy 10.1) and I can’t seem to get into safe mode to try and remove it. I powered on, held down the volume up/down button and got different outcomes on two tries. The first was asking about install some outside OS and currently I have the little android guy (flashing) with the word “downloading” beneath the android guy.. What to do?????

bots27

Hi, did you ever get your tablet to go on safe mode? i tried it all and i get the same results as you.
.

Unique Hamilton

My volume down button don’t work what can I do to get safe mode off now

I started booting a galaxy tab 2 and it showed an attention sign and said that it doesen’t have the right os and now it is downloading something and it started a while ago

Rameez

Thnxx it works for me…..

Android

Security update deleted, tnx

Jean

I have put Sony Xperia in safe mode still not working properly any other help

Gandalf-the-White

Exactly as many have said this does NOT work for Smasung Galaxy tabs….. Does not bring up Safe Mode… very very hard to find real info on how to do this.. someone who can and put it up on Youtube will make a lot of money ;o)

helen hogan

Ive put my tab3 into safe mode by powering off …. then boot up…..as soon as the samsung logo apears u press volume down and home button together for a few seconds …..it then had a safe mode logo bottom left of the tablet

gemdave

Its a stuck volume down button thats what it is, its stopping me you know ,stopping me from getting out of safe mode it is, galaxy 4 tab ive got I have, pain its been you know.

claire

press power off button then you will see power off, restart, airplane mode,wifi mode…then long press the power off word on